opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Original post by rcheltrvel

Apr 11, 2005 01:11 AM

Hi,

I am getting married not in a hall but more of a restaurant and I have the choice of either doing a cash bar of $6 per drink(my FH and I would pay for it of course) or a open bar at $26 per head. We have 220 guests and I would say there is about a 30-40 person drinking crowd and the rest are typical wedding guest drinkers then old people and kids. If I do the open bar at $26 per head, 20% will automatically be added to the total. If we do the cash at $6 per drink, we can give what we want for a tip. Has anyone had experience with a cash bar before at their wedding? Our wedding is on a Saturday night in June on the beach and many people are staying at the hotel where we are getting married including both our families and our entire wedding party. We are trying to save a few dollars(aren't we all) and thought maybe the cash bar would work in our favor but am not positive. We had a Saturday Day engagement party in May last year and we did cash bar for 125 people at $5 per drink and we only ended up with a $1500 bar tab. 2/3rds of the guests came from out of town and had to drive home. Thank!

RedHead Posted: Apr 11, 2005 11:35 AM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Posted by BriBri529

I think that the right thing to do is have an open bar . . .

i agree

rcheltrvel Posted: Apr 11, 2005 11:46 AM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Has anyone actually had a cash bar at their wedding? If so, what was the total cost? I think it comes down to if it will be under $6000 then it will pay to do cash bar.

SomethingBlu Posted: Apr 11, 2005 11:47 AM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Posted by rcheltrvel

Has anyone actually had a cash bar at their wedding? If so, what was the total cost? I think it comes down to if it will be under $6000 then it will pay to do cash bar.

My sister dis and it was about $1500 for about 75 people...although it was a 4 hour reception - but there were heavy drinkers.

rcheltrvel Posted: Apr 11, 2005 11:51 AM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

interesting! if you multiply that by 3 times to make around 220 people you get $4500. could be $2,000 less then doing open bar.

rcheltrvel Posted: Apr 11, 2005 11:51 AM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

do you know how much per drink she paid? was it a night wedding or day? what day?

Mrs. dleeny Posted: Apr 11, 2005 11:52 AM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

IMO, you should definitely pay per consumption!

$26 x 200 guests = $5200. $5200 divided by $6 a drink is 866 cocktails!

do you think your guests would consume almost 900 drinks?

SomethingBlu Posted: Apr 11, 2005 11:55 AM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Posted by rcheltrvel

do you know how much per drink she paid? was it a night wedding or day? what day?

Day wedding and she paid $5 per drink...more for shots, I think they were $7.

rcheltrvel Posted: Apr 11, 2005 12:07 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

maybe, my wedding party are all alcoholics i think...LOL

Janice Posted: Apr 11, 2005 12:43 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

I had a cash bar since a lot of my guests were recovering alcoholics. But the hall agreed to do cash bar and if it exceeded the price of a per head amount, they would just charge per head.

teany Posted: Apr 11, 2005 01:02 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

I think first off you should confirm that the per head price would not include kids under 21, which it obviously shouldn't. How many kids are you having?

It still seams like the consumption bar would work out to be less expensive. ALSO, if you aren't already doing this, see if you can purchase the wine you serve by the bottle and leave it on the tables, and have the bar only be for cocktails and beer (the markup for a glass of wine would be much more than the $20-something you'd pay for the bottle, I think).

Does the $6/drink also include things like soda and sparking water? If so, that doesn't seem right.

Mrs. dleeny Posted: Apr 11, 2005 01:04 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Posted by teany

I think first off you should confirm that the per head price would not include kids under 21, which it obviously shouldn't. How many kids are you having?

It still seams like the consumption bar would work out to be less expensive. ALSO, if you aren't already doing this, see if you can purchase the wine you serve by the bottle and leave it on the tables, and have the bar only be for cocktails and beer (the markup for a glass of wine would be much more than the $20-something you'd pay for the bottle, I think).

Does the $6/drink also include things like soda and sparking water? If so, that doesn't seem right.

FH and I looked into having our wedding at 21 Main. They wanted $50 a person - that's great. But then wanted an additional $30 pp for open bar! HOLY COW! Even soda was not included with the $50 PP!

catering halls can be a much better deal! it was for us!

May05Bride Posted: Apr 11, 2005 01:08 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

I think open bar is best.

naps627 Posted: Apr 11, 2005 01:44 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

i would do open.

2beWed Posted: Apr 11, 2005 02:17 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Posted by nylibride

Do you necessarily have to hedge your bets? The place is still going to serve the alcohol either way. Maybe you can bargain with them and tell them you would prefer the per drink (cash bar) option if it will be less expensive. If the amount totals the pp rate of $26 dollars or greater, then agree you'd pay the pp rate.

My general point is, they have to serve the same amount of alcohol, the same quality, etc..either way. Why not ask if they can't be flexible about how they charge for it if both are options? I don't know if they'll do it, but why pay more for the same exact thing if there are options?? ((Hope that made any sense...))

This sounds like a really good idea and makes sense...logically speaking that is.

But of course...they're in the business of making MONEY not saving you any so I doubt they would agree to this.

dpli Posted: Apr 11, 2005 02:42 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Posted by 2beWed

Posted by nylibride

Do you necessarily have to hedge your bets? The place is still going to serve the alcohol either way. Maybe you can bargain with them and tell them you would prefer the per drink (cash bar) option if it will be less expensive. If the amount totals the pp rate of $26 dollars or greater, then agree you'd pay the pp rate.

My general point is, they have to serve the same amount of alcohol, the same quality, etc..either way. Why not ask if they can't be flexible about how they charge for it if both are options? I don't know if they'll do it, but why pay more for the same exact thing if there are options?? ((Hope that made any sense...))

This sounds like a really good idea and makes sense...logically speaking that is.

But of course...they're in the business of making MONEY not saving you any so I doubt they would agree to this.

Actaully, I have heard of places agreeing to do that. It can't hurt to ask, right?

Katy06 Posted: Apr 11, 2005 03:49 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Hmm in reading the responses Im a bit confused.

You guys know that a cash bar means that the guests pay for their own drinks and not the host(bride & Groom)

A cash bar is a no no in my book. Either offer a few choices or one signature drink but never have your guests pay for their own drinks at your wedding.

just my opinion.

SomethingBlu Posted: Apr 11, 2005 04:49 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Posted by Katy06

Hmm in reading the responses Im a bit confused.

You guys know that a cash bar means that the guests pay for their own drinks and not the host(bride & Groom)

A cash bar is a no no in my book. Either offer a few choices or one signature drink but never have your guests pay for their own drinks at your wedding.

just my opinion.

Actually - not in this case. Perhaps you missed the bride's post. She will be paying for the drinks, at $6 per drink, instead of paying a per head price. The guests will not have to pay for a single drink since she's covering it, she just wants to know what's more economic for her.

CC59 Posted: Apr 11, 2005 05:41 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

At first the $26 per person sounded like a lot but now that I think about it when FH and I go out wih friends for birthdays or whatever we easily spend at least $50 between the two of us on drinks (and I don't drink a lot) so in reality, the $26 doesn't seen that high, especially for a restaurant in the hamptons. Is it a drinking crowd? If so, I would go with the open bar. If not, I would go with the $6 per drink. good luck...this is a tough decision!

Janice Posted: Apr 11, 2005 05:45 PM

Re: opinions... cash bar or fixed price?

Posted by Katy06

Hmm in reading the responses Im a bit confused.

You guys know that a cash bar means that the guests pay for their own drinks and not the host(bride & Groom)

A cash bar is a no no in my book. Either offer a few choices or one signature drink but never have your guests pay for their own drinks at your wedding.

just my opinion.

our cash bar was just a running tab that we took care of at the end of the night, the guest never even knew it was a cash bar